ABSTRACT The primary role of the CSORDA Administrative Core is to provide an infrastructure for maintaining an innovative, rigorous and collaborative center of excellence for addiction-related research, training and outreach. The Administrative Core provides programmatic structure, logistical support, and mediation of the Center's interactions with training programs, administrative offices, and scientific and governmental institutions. The Core is responsible for budgetary and scientific oversight (including scientific directions and rigor) of all CSORDA research, including the Pilot Program. The PI of CSORDA, Dr. Christopher Evans, directs the Administrative Core, and in his absence, the Associate Director, Dr. Nigel Maidment, serves in this capacity. The Core has a sophisticated and experienced Advisory Board to provide guidance on both administrative and scientific issues. The Core is staffed by Ms. Polly Segal, an experienced administrator who has been associated with CSORDA for the past 9 years. Responsibilities of the Core include: ? Oversight and evaluation of the Center; including organizing leadership, meetings of the Advisory Board, Steering Committee and biweekly center meetings, implementing of leadership decisions, coordinating educational and outreach roles for the Center, monitoring progress and facilitating collaborative interactions. ? Oversight of the Pilot Program; including advertising for potential grantees, evaluating and selecting of proposals, and integrating with ongoing activities within CSORDA. ? Assurance that the Center conducts rigorous research that considers sex differences, confounds in techniques, procedures and reagents and uses appropriately powered studies and statistical analysis. ? Oversight of personnel operations; including hiring, advancements and promotions, recruitment and conflict resolution, including arbitration in the unlikely event of disagreement between co-leadership of Projects or Cores. ? Support for publications, grant preparations, seminars and meetings, travel and purchasing. ? Budgetary preparation, prioritization and monitoring of fiscal resources in all Projects, Cores and Pilots. ? Coordination of the sharing of resources generated by the Center. The Administrative Core is essential to the efficient operation of CSORDA.